Lega Basket Serie A Playoffs: Demetre Rivers and Jayden Nunn Power Brescia Back as Playoff Series Against Trieste Levels at 1-1

Nobody expected Game 1 to go the way it did. Trieste walked into Brescia‘s gym and walked out with a 92-90 win, a result that sent a clear message: this series was not going to be a formality. For a Brescia side that many assumed would cruise through the quarterfinals at home, it was a wake-up call delivered with precision.

Game 2, played on May 18, was the answer. Brescia came out sharper, more physical, and ultimately more purposeful in a 90-82 victory that levels the best-of-5 series at 1-1. The tone was set early and held throughout.

Rivers and Nunn Deliver When It Matters Most

The headline numbers belong to Miro Bilan — 22 points, 11 rebounds in 25 minutes, the kind of dominant interior performance that reminds everyone why he remains Brescia’s most established star. But the story of Game 2 is really about what Rivers and Nunn brought alongside him.

Demetre Rivers, the 30-year-old veteran forward, finished with 18 points in 28 minutes. He is the kind of player whose value doesn’t always show up in the box score, known for his defensive generosity and competitive edge. On Sunday, he made sure it showed up everywhere. His scoring gave Brescia a secondary offensive weapon that Trieste simply couldn’t neutralize while also tracking Bilan.

Then there’s Jayden Nunn. The 23-year-old guard from Detroit only arrived at Brescia on April 10, 2026 — barely six weeks ago. He is still, in many ways, learning the system, building chemistry, finding his place. And yet, in Game 2 of a playoff series, he dropped 18 points in just 16 minutes. That efficiency is remarkable for any player. For someone this new to the team, it borders on extraordinary.

A Series That Just Got Very Interesting

Trieste was no passenger in Game 2 either. Colbey Ross posted 21 points, Jahmi’us Ramsey added 19 with four assists, and Joshua Bannan contributed 16 points and 6 rebounds. Juan Toscano-Anderson chipped in 14 points and 5 rebounds. This is a team with real offensive firepower and the confidence of a team that already stole one game on the road.

That’s the context Brescia must carry into Game 3 in Trieste. The series is balanced, but the psychological weight has shifted slightly. Brescia has reclaimed home court momentum and proved that their depth — particularly through Rivers and Nunn — can absorb pressure and produce in big moments.

The question now is whether Nunn can sustain that kind of output as the series intensifies, and whether Brescia’s collective response in Game 2 was a statement of intent or simply a correction. With the next game on the road, in a building that will be loud and hostile, Brescia will need both veterans and newcomers to show up again. After Sunday, there’s at least reason to believe they can.